There are many DJs whose devotion to the cause deserves respect from the clubbing massive, and we can only say hats off to Justin Bourne and Fran Cosgrave for their recent efforts.
You might snigger at the mere mention of the reality TV star and former Westlife minder Fran, but he offered to play at Trade’s Summer Sundown festival in Wexford recently for free if he got to play an underground house set – despite the fact that he commands up to £3000 for his popular club appearances in Britain.
Short Circuit Recordings’ Justin Bourne went to even greater lengths to fulfil a recent Irish DJ booking in seaside town Bray for the Energize club.
Having missed his scheduled flight from Southampton, the hard dance whiz jumped in a taxi to Bournemouth to catch a flight which cost him £175. Sadly, he missed it by minutes due to heavy traffic along the way.
Justin then stunned the Energize crew by hopping into another cab and proceeding in the general direction of Gatwick airport, where he hoped to catch the last flight to Dublin, upon which he booked another expensive seat. However, traffic again took its toll and Justin was still 30 minutes from his destination when the plane began take-off.
The taxis and flights cost him almost twice what he was due to get paid, but that didn’t stop Justin later offering to pay for the original flight which had been covered by Senan Shortt and his fellow promoters. They refused, and promptly booked him for another party later this year.
Cork-born techno producer Edwin James is suitably chuffed with the warm reception his We Are Electronix album (on his own SeedyR stamp) received in the British dance press. He’s currently working on new material for an EP he hopes to release in the autumn.
The recent heatwave meant Ocote Soul Sounds & Adrian Quesada’s El Nino Y El Sol (ESL Music) was listening material as it’s dripping with breezy latin, afro and funk influences. It hits the shops this fortnight.
Space Cowboy (aka Fatboy Slim’s favourite Parisian, Nicolas Dresti) has returned with Digital Rock (Tiger Trax), a poptastic blend of surf-rock, glam-rock, French funk and electro that also sounds great in high temperatures.
Max Sedgely follows his Hot Chip remixed ‘Slowly’ single with an album of songs driven by infectious disco grooves, From The Roots To The Shoots (Sunday Best), a definite grower.
Equally marvellous is The Million Colour Revolution from The Pinker Tones (Outstanding), a unique and refreshing burst of exuberance which marries pop sensibilities to salsa, funk and electro influences.
Beneath all the Ibiza compilation stock in stores currently, you should find Fabric Live 29 from Cut Copy (Fabric Live), a slamming 25-track mash-up of the likes of DFA and Who Made Who. Well worth your money.
The Hughes Corporation’s ‘What A Feeling’, which lifts the chorus from Irene Cara’s ‘Flashdance’ to great effect, looks set to hit the upper reaches of the pop charts. Also worth a mention is the aforementioned Fran Cograve’s debut single on Loaded Records. He’s produced the vocal house effort under the guise of Inner City Playboys.
Hardstyle heroes Cally & Juice (of Nukleuz Records fame) are joined by DJ L.E.D at Hardstyle Nation on September 9th. The new club runs at Radio City in Dublin every Saturday.
Soma star Ewan Pearson guests at 110th Street in Galway on August 18. Way Out West’s Nick Warren plays Aurora at Ten in Waterford on August 19, while on August 25 Aurora presents the Irish debut of banging Japanese DJ, Yoji Biomehanika, whose legendary performances are almost as colourful as his hair and clothes. He’s supported by Vinylgroover and Hazy B.
Berlin techno star Magda returns to Electric City at its new home in Traffic on August 10.
Clubbers who are old enough to know better should revel in the retro sensation at Traffic in Dublin this fortnight. Jon Pleased Wimmin and Paddy Sheridan are at the controls, as they were many times during the PoD’s late-'90s heyday. See this issue’s What’s On for full details on this and all the coming fortnight’s best parties.
The biggest event of this fortnight is, of course, the inaugural Hi:Fi Ireland festival, which runs at Belvedere House in Mullingar over the bank holiday weekend on August 5 and 6, and is technically speaking the first ever weekend festival for Irish clubbers. Here’s hoping for a memorable few days in the midlands … THE BEAT GOES ON!